AGOHEALTH
Advancing health through policy, education, and advocacy.
AgoHealth comes from the Greek word "stratigos" meaning "strategy".
Strategy in health is fundamental to success in business, government, and to leading a healthy life.
What We Do
AgoHealth was founded in 2015 as health policy consulting firm with the mission to support government and non-governmental entities in developing and influencing health policy through in-depth analysis, strategy development, and facilitation. In 2022 the firm expanded its reach with an increased focus on chronic pain education, policy, and advocacy, an issue that impacts 50 million Americans including the firm's founder. Click below for information by topic.
Highlights
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Health policy expert
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Writer and public speaker
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Chronic pain advocate
AgoHealth's Story
MEET THE FOUNDER
Mara Baer is a seasoned health care professional with over 25 years in the industry. She founded AgoHealth in 2015 to provide health policy consulting services to governmental and non-governmental entities. In this role she advises senior political officials and C-suite executives as they navigate the complexities of today’s health care environment. Through writing and public speaking, Mara is also working to shed light on the plight of the 50 million Americans that suffer in chronic pain.
After earning a social work degree Mara launched her health care career, providing social services in long-term care settings. In this environment she learned how health policy barriers impacted the day-to-day lives of the elderly, prompting her to return for graduate education in public health. After receiving a master’s degree in public health from UCLA, Mara was selected for the highly competitive Presidential Management Fellowship program which brought her to Washington, D.C. During her years in DC Mara served as a top advisor to two U.S. Senators followed by work in policy and advocacy in hospital pharmacy and in senior management at a national federation of health plans.
Mara moved with her family to Denver, Colorado in 2014 and soon after launched her consulting practice. She has consulted for the Colorado Division of Insurance, the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, as well as private companies and think tanks. Her work focuses on Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, the American Rescue Plan Act, and prescription drug reforms.
Mara is an author whose writing focuses on the human experience of chronic pain and the systemic challenges faces by those in pain. She serves on numerous boards, lending her health policy expertise and lived experience in chronic pain to the organizations in which she serves.
Mara received her undergraduate degree in social work from the University of Kansas and master’s degree in public health from University of California, Los Angeles. She resides in Denver, Colorado with her husband, Art, and two children, Carter and Sydney.
Follow Mara's writing by subscribing to her SUBSTACK.
GRETCHEN MCGINNIS
Former Senior Vice President, Healthcare Systems &
Accountable Care, Colorado Access
"Mara has been a valuable advisor to Colorado Access as we navigate the complexities of today’s health policy environment at both the federal and state levels. The organization has benefited from Mara’s deep knowledge and expertise in health policy as well as her innovative approaches to developing effective advocacy and positioning strategies. With Mara’s guidance, Colorado Access has been able to take effective steps in support of our key lines of business and further position the organization as a key leader in Colorado health care."
KEVIN PATTERSON
Chief Executive Officer
Connect for Health Colorado
"Mara's depth of knowledge on the Affordable Care Act, policy expertise, and experience with program implementation make her such an asset to our board of directors. Further, her experience working with and advising State partners who are our key partners at the Exchange has been helpful as we collaborate. I am grateful to have her serving on our boards for both Connect for Health and Colorado Connect."
HELEN DREXLER
President & CEO
Delta Dental of Colorado
"Mara has been a tremendous asset. She has guided our strategic planning effort in a thoughtful way, helping our senior leadership and Board evaluate key policy and operational decisions. Mara knows how to cut through the complexities of health care in a way that supports executive-level decision-making. She is the person in the room who can draw out the key issues and helps facilitate consensus-building that to solve some of our toughest problems."